According to his official U.N. biography, Boutros-Ghali taught international relations and law at Cairo University from 1949 to 1977, during which time he was also part of the Central Committee and Political Bureau of the Arab Socialist Union.

Between 1977 and 1991, he held several top positions in Egypt’s Foreign Ministry.

Then, in January 1992, Boutros-Ghali took over as the United Nations’ secretary-general. He led the world body in that capacity for the next five years, a time marked by crises in Rwanda, Angola and the former Yugoslavia.

He sought a second term, only to be rebuffed after the United States — as a member of the world body’s Security Council — vetoed his bid. At the time, Washington criticized him for refusing to cut the United Nations’ budget.